How Intersegmental Traction Fits Into Your Medical-Legal Car Accident Case

After a car accident in Denver, you’re often juggling pain, confusion, and a pile of insurance paperwork. Your attorney tells you to “get treatment” and “document everything.” Your chiropractor mentions something called intersegmental traction—or a “roller table”—as part of your care plan. And you’re left wondering: Is this medically necessary? Will my attorney and the insurance adjuster accept it? How does this fit into my case?

Intersegmental traction (IST) is a passive, gentle therapy designed to support spinal mobility and soft tissue recovery after trauma. When properly documented and clinically justified, it can be a valuable component of a coordinated medical-legal care plan. But like any modality in a personal injury case, it must meet standards of medical necessity, be individualized to your injury, and be clearly communicated to your legal and insurance teams.

This guide explains how IST works, when it’s appropriate, and how it’s documented and coordinated in attorney-involved car accident cases here in Colorado.

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What Is Intersegmental Traction?

Intersegmental traction—sometimes called roller table therapy—is a passive spinal mobilization technique. You lie face-up on a padded table while rollers move slowly beneath your spine, applying gentle, rhythmic pressure from your neck to your lower back.

The goal is to promote segmental motion in the spine without active patient effort or manual manipulation. IST is often used alongside other therapies like chiropractic adjustments, therapeutic exercises, or shockwave therapy to support recovery from soft tissue injuries, muscle spasm, and restricted spinal movement.

What IST is NOT: It is not spinal decompression. It is not flexion-distraction traction. And it is not a substitute for hands-on chiropractic care or active rehabilitation. IST is one tool in a broader, individualized treatment plan—not a standalone solution.

In a medical-legal context, that distinction matters. Attorneys and claims adjusters want to see that each modality serves a specific clinical purpose and is not being used as a “filler” treatment.

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Why IST Matters in Personal Injury Care Plans

Car accidents create sudden, forceful trauma to the spine and surrounding soft tissues. Even low-speed collisions can cause whiplash, muscle guarding, and intersegmental dysfunction—meaning individual spinal segments lose their normal range of motion.

When soft tissues are inflamed and muscles are in spasm, active movement can be painful or difficult. That’s where passive mobilization like IST can help bridge the gap between acute injury and active rehabilitation.

Common clinical indications for IST in car accident cases include:

• Muscle guarding and paraspinal spasm following whiplash or spinal trauma
• Restricted segmental motion that limits tolerance for manual adjustments
• Soft tissue inflammation that responds poorly to aggressive manual therapy
• Transition therapy between acute pain management and active physical rehabilitation

IST is typically introduced early in care when patients cannot tolerate or benefit from more aggressive interventions. As recovery progresses, the treatment plan should evolve—adding active therapies, reducing passive modalities, and building toward functional independence.

Why documentation matters: Personal injury attorneys and insurance adjusters review your records to determine whether each treatment was medically necessary. A well-documented care plan explains why IST was chosen, how it fits your clinical presentation, and when it will be phased out or adjusted.

If your chiropractor simply lists “IST” on every visit without clinical justification, it raises red flags. If they document objective findings (e.g., “patient unable to tolerate manual therapy due to acute muscle guarding; IST applied to promote segmental mobility and reduce protective spasm”), it strengthens your case.

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How Roller Table Therapy Meets “Reasonable and Necessary” Standards

In Colorado personal injury cases, insurance carriers and courts apply a “reasonable and necessary” standard to medical treatment. That means your care must be:

1. Clinically appropriate for your diagnosed condition
2. Individualized to your injury and response to treatment
3. Supported by objective findings in your medical records
4. Consistent with accepted chiropractic and rehabilitation standards

IST can meet this standard—but only when it’s properly justified and documented.

Sample Documentation Best Practices

Strong medical-legal documentation for IST includes:

• Initial clinical findings: “Patient presents with acute paraspinal muscle spasm at C4-C7, restricted cervical rotation, and inability to tolerate manual adjustments. IST initiated to promote passive segmental mobilization and reduce protective muscle guarding.”
• Ongoing progress notes: “Patient reports 30% reduction in muscle tension following IST; tolerating increased active range-of-motion exercises. IST frequency reduced from 3x/week to 2x/week as manual therapy tolerance improves.”
• Re-evaluation and adjustment: “Patient now tolerates manual adjustments without protective spasm. IST discontinued; care plan transitioned to active therapeutic exercises and home stretching program.”

This type of documentation shows:

• A clear rationale for initiating IST
• Measurable progress and clinical reasoning
• A plan to reduce or discontinue passive modalities as the patient improves

Red flags to avoid: Cookie-cutter treatment plans that apply IST to every patient regardless of clinical presentation. Long-term use of IST without documented progress or explanation. Lack of re-evaluation or adjustment as the patient’s condition changes.

Attorneys and adjusters are trained to spot overtreatment. Clear, individualized documentation protects both your recovery and your claim.

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Coordinating IST Treatment with Your Attorney in Colorado

One of the unique strengths of a boutique, medical-legal chiropractic practice is direct coordination with your personal injury attorney. At Injury Recovery Center, 100% of patients are car accident victims working with legal counsel. That means every treatment decision is made with both clinical outcomes and case documentation in mind.

How Attorney-Coordinated Care Works

When you begin treatment after a crash, your chiropractor and attorney should communicate regularly to ensure:

• Treatment aligns with the case strategy. Your attorney needs to know what you’re treating, why, and how long recovery is expected to take.
• Documentation is complete and defensible. Missing records, vague notes, or unexplained treatment gaps can weaken your claim.
• Referrals are made when appropriate. If your symptoms exceed chiropractic scope—such as neurological deficits, concussion, or unresolved pain—your chiropractor should refer you to specialists (neurology, orthopedics, pain management) and document those referrals.
• Care stays within “reasonable and necessary” standards. Your attorney will advocate for your right to full recovery, but they also want to avoid disputes over excessive or unjustified treatment.

In Colorado, this coordination is especially important because of damage cap updates and evolving insurance claim practices. Your legal team needs accurate, timely information about your treatment to build a strong case—and your medical team needs to understand the legal context to document care appropriately.

Questions Your Chiropractor Should Answer

A good medical-legal provider will proactively explain:

• “Why am I recommending IST for your specific injury?”
• “How will we measure progress and adjust your treatment plan?”
• “What will I communicate to your attorney about your care?”
• “When should we consider referrals to other specialists?”

If your chiropractor cannot answer these questions clearly, that’s a red flag. You deserve transparency, education, and collaboration—not passive, one-size-fits-all care.

Colorado Damage Caps and IST Claims

Colorado law sets caps on non-economic damages in personal injury cases, and these caps have been updated as of 2025. While IST treatment costs fall under economic damages (medical expenses), understanding the full legal landscape helps ensure your care plan supports both your recovery and your claim.

Your attorney and chiropractor should be aware of current Colorado statutes and work together to document care that meets legal and clinical standards. If you’re unsure whether your treatment is properly coordinated, ask your attorney to request records and review your care plan with your provider.

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Questions to Ask Your Denver Chiropractor About IST

You are the boss of your body. Before agreeing to any treatment—including IST—you have the right to ask questions and understand the plan.

Questions to ask before starting IST:

• “Why do you recommend intersegmental traction for my injury?”
• “What clinical findings support this recommendation?”
• “How will we know if it’s working?”
• “How long do you expect I’ll need this therapy?”
• “What other modalities are you considering, and why?”
• “Will you coordinate my care with my attorney?”
• “What happens if I don’t improve as expected?”

A trustworthy provider will welcome these questions and answer them in plain language. If you feel rushed, dismissed, or pressured into a pre-set treatment plan, trust your instincts.

At Injury Recovery Center, Dr. Ron Losiewicz takes a slow, trust-based approach. No cookie-cutter plans. No aggressive manipulation. Every patient is treated individually, with education and collaboration at every step.

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What to Do Next

If you’ve been injured in a car accident in the Denver metro area and you’re working with an attorney, your next step is simple: get clarity.

Call Injury Recovery Center and speak directly with Dr. Ron. We specialize exclusively in car crash injuries—whiplash, concussions, soft tissue trauma, and spinal injuries. We coordinate care with your attorney, document treatment thoroughly, and refer to specialists when needed.

We don’t offer general chiropractic or wellness care. We don’t take cash patients. We don’t rush adjustments or use cookie-cutter protocols.

What we do is guide car accident victims through recovery with expert, personalized care—addressing not only pain, but confusion, fear, and uncertainty after a crash.

Three convenient Denver-area locations:

• Lakewood: 2290 Kipling St Unit 6, Lakewood, CO 80215
• Englewood: 730 W Hampden Ave Ste. 250, Englewood, CO 80110
• Aurora: 14241 E 4th Ave Building 5, Ste. 5-354, Aurora, CO 80011

Ready to start your recovery? Call us today and schedule your consultation. Bring your questions, your concerns, and your attorney’s contact information. We’ll build a plan together—slowly, deliberately, and with your goals in mind.

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